Aligning mechanism for battery grid casting machine

ABSTRACT

A battery grid casting machine which includes a grid trimming die and means for properly aligning the grid with the die. The latter means includes a belt conveyor adapted to direct the cast grid onto a horizontally disposed pallet which in turn pivots downwardly so that the grid gravitates to a position wherein lugs at the leading edge thereof engage a stop which properly aligns the grid before the stop is retracted to feed the grid into the trimming die.

United States Patent [191 McLane ALIGNING MECHANISM FOR BATTERY GRIDCASTING MACHINE [75] Inventor: Jack E. McLane, Port Huron, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Wirtz Manufacturing Company,

Inc., Port Huron, Mich.

[22] Filed: Sept. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 287,774

[52] US. Cl. 29/204 [51] Int.-Cl. H01m 35/18 [58] Field of Search.29/204, 204 R, 204 D, 208 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSv 3,508,318 4 1970Clingenpeel m1. ..29/204 111 3,808,663 [451 May 7, 1974' PrimaryExaminer-Thomas H. Eager Choate [5 7] ABSTRACT A battery grid castingmachine which includes a grid trimming die and means for properlyaligning the grid with the die. The latter means includes a beltconveyor adapted to direct the cast grid onto a horizontally disposedpallet which in turn pivots downwardly so that the grid gravitates to aposition whereinlugs at the leading edge thereof engage a stop whichproperly aligns the grid before the stop is retracted to feed the gridinto the trimming die.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures and drawings,in which:

ALIGNING MECHANISM FOR BATTERY GRID CASTING MACHINE This inventionrelates to a machine for the manufacture of battery grids and, morespecifically, to a mechanism for properly aligning the cast grid with agrid trimming die.

Battery grids are normally cast with projecting portions at the upperand lower edges thereof which extend outwardly beyond the finisheddimensions of the grid. These excess metal portions are formed on thegridas cast in portions of the mold cavity which are required, such asfor gates,vents, shrink lugs, etc. After casting and while the grid isstill quite hot and relatively fragile, it is customary to convey thegrid to a trimming die where the abovementioned projecting portions aresheared off to trim the grid to its finished dimensions.

In order to obtain properly sized and properly shaped grids it isessential that the grid be correctly aligned with the die. In theprocess of aligning the grid for entry into the die it is important thatits movement be arrested gently since it is still sufficiently hot as tobe relatively fragile.

The present invention has for its primary object a mechanism forengaging a cast grid as it is released from the mold, gently arrestingits speed of travel while directing it onto a support pallet and thentilting the pallet to properly align the grid and to permit it togravitate toward the trimming die. 1 v

A furtherobject of the invention is to utilize relatively heavy lugs onthe leading edge of the cast grid for engaging an alignment stop'associated with the pallet so as to at least-momentarily arrest movementof the grid for the purpose of alignment, the lugs being located on thecast grid so as to be sheared off in the trimming die.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following description FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevationalview ofa grid casting machine incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the manner inwhich the grid aligning mechanism -is actuated;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4--4 in FIG. 3;and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken-along line 5-5 in FIG. 1and showing in broken lines the portions of the grid as cast which aresheared off in the trimming die.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there isillustrated a portion of a battery grid casting machine which includes aslide 12 extending downwardly directly from beneath the mold of themachine and onto which cast grids, while still relatively hot, areadapted to fall after the mold is opened and the grid is ejected. Sincethe mold may be of the conventional type which includes separablesections, it need not be illustrated or further described. The gridaligning and trimming'mechanism is supported on the frame of the machinewhich includes a pair of side walls 14. Slide 12 is of arcuate shape andcurves downwardly so that its lower end overlies the upper run of anendless conveyor belt I6. Belt 16 is trained around two rollers 18 and20. Roller 18 is continuously driven from a power source on the machine,as by a belt or chain 22. Guide plates 24 are mounted along each side ofconveyor belt 16 and project upwardly slightly above the upper run ofbelt 16 so as to cooperate with the conveyor belt to form a guideway forthe grids. A weighted steel roller 26 extends across and is supportedonthe upper run of belt 16. The opposite ends of roller 26 are guided forvertical movement in brackets 28. The upper run of belt 16 is supportedon the underside thereof by suitable means (not shown) to prevent theweight of roller 26 from causing the belt to sag. Roller 18 is driven sothat the upper run of the belt travels in the direction indicated byarrow 30 in FIG. 1.

Adjacent the discharge end of conveyor belt 16 there is mounted on sidewalls 14 of the machine a pair of side plates 32 on which the alignmentmechanism about to be described is mounted. This alignment mechanismincludes a flat pallet 34 journalled on a shaft 36 by means of a pair ofbushings 38 welded to the underside of pallet 34. Shaft 36 is journalledon side plates 32 by bearings 40 and pallet 34 is prevented fromshifting axially on shaft 36' by a pair of collars 42 fixed to the shaftin a suitable manner and abutting the axially outer faces of bushings38. A support bracket 44 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) underlies pallet 34 and hasa pair of bushings 46 welded or otherwise fixedly attached to the upperface thereof. Shaft 36 extends through bushings 46 andthe bushings arefixed to the shaft by set screws or the like so that shaft 36 andbracket 44 rotate as a unit while pallet 34 is permitted to pivot freely.on

shaft 36.

The lower end of link 50 is pivotally connected as at 54 to the free endof a crank arm 56 which is supported for swinging movement about a fixedpivot 58. The intermediate portion of arm 56 carries a cam follower 60which rides on the outer periphery ofa cam 62 fixed to a shaft 64. Shaft64 is positively driven in the direction shown by the arrow 66 from asuitable drive mechanism on the machine (not shown).

The periphery of cam 62 comprises a cam track having an outermostportion 68 concentric with the axis of rotation of shaft 64 and aninnermost portion 70 which is also concentric to the axis of rotation ofshaft 64. A cam rise portion 72 connects one pair of the adjacent endsof cam track portions 68 and 70. The cam track also includes a thirdportion 74 which is concentric to the axis of rotation of shaft 64 andwhich is disposed radially between portions 68 and 70. It will beobserved that the circumferential extent of portion 74 is substantiallyshorter than the circumferential extents of portions 68,70. When camfollower 60 is riding on the high side 68 of cam 62 bracket 44 is in theposition shown in FIG. 1. When cam follower 60 is riding on the low side70 of cam 62 bracket 44 is disposed in the downwardly inclined positionshown in FIG. 3.

A rubber bumper 76 is fixedly mounted on the top side of bracket 44 sothat the upper end thereof is normally engaged by the underside of apallet 34. If desired, a spring 78 may have one end thereof attached topallet 34 as at 80 and the other end thereof fixedly anchored as at 82in order to prevent any bouncing action between pallet 34 and bracket44. Bumper 76 serves as a spacer between pallet 34 and bracket 44 to 84fixedly mounted thereon. In the position of the various elements shownin FIG. 1 stop 84 projects upwardly above the plane of pallet 34.

Each side wall 14 has an abutment or bumper 86 mounted thereon as by abracket 88. Abutments 86 are located so as to engage the underside ofpallet 34 adjacent the outer corners thereof at the leading free edge ofthe pallet as cam follower 60 rides off the high side 68 of the cam ontothe low side 70 of cam 62. As shown in FIG. 3, when cam follower 60 isriding on the low side 70 of cam 62 bracket 44 has been pivoted to adownwardly inclined position wherein pivotal movement of pallet 34 isarrested by stops 86 while bumper 76 on bracket 44 is spaced downwardlybelow pallet 34. It will be further observed that in this positionbracket 44 has been pivoted downwardly sufficiently to cause uprightstop 84 to be retracted to a position below the plane of pallet 34.

It should be pointed out at this time that the cam track portion 74 isdesignedsuch that, when cam follower 60 rides off the cam track portion68 onto the cam track portion 74, bracket 44 is pivoted downwardly to aposition above that shown in FIG. 3 wherein bumper 76 is still inengagement with the underside of pallet 34. As a result, pallet 34 ispivoted downwardlyto permit the grid thereon to slide downwardly to aposition wherein the grid is still in contact with stop 84. Thecircumferential or arcuate extent of cam track portion 74 is sufficienttoenable the grid to stabilize itself against stop 84 before the stop isretracted to the position illustrated in FIG. 3.

'For a better understanding of the action which occurs .on pallet 34 soas to properly align the grid reference to FIG. is helpful. In FIG. 5the grid is designated 90. In the as cast condition the grid includesthe portions shown in broken lines in FIG. 5. This includes a gateportion 92 at the upperor trailing end of the grid and heavy lugs 94 atthe leading or lower end of the grid. Adjacent the lugs 94 the grid mayalso include relatively thin short sections of flash 96 and a spruesection 9.8. It is the lugs 94 that are adapted to abut against stop 84so that the grid will be properly aligned with respect to thehereinafter shearing die which is adapted to trim off the sections92,94,96,98 along the two shear lines 100 and 102.

Just beyond the lower end of pallet 34 and in line therewith when thepallet is in the downwardly inclined position shown in FIG. 3 there islocated a pair of feed rolls 104,106. Roll 106 is keyed to a shaft 108which has a sprocket 110 fixedly mounted at one end thereof, as shown inFIG. 2. A chain 112 connects sprocket 110 with a sprocket 114 fixed toshaft 64. The upper roll 104 simply rests on roll 106 in tangentialcontact therewith. Rolls 104,l06 have serrated surfaces as indicated at116 so as to frictionally engage the grid as its leading end slides offpallet 34 when stop 84 is retracted to the position'shown in FIG. 3.Roll 106 is power driven at a speed such as to gently direct the gridinto the inclined trimming die which is generally designated 118 in FIG.I.

Die 118 has a stationary lower section 120 and a vertieullyreciprocating upper section 122. Lower section 120 has a grid supportsurface 123 generally parallel to the plane of pallet 34 when the latteris in the position in FIG. 3. These two die sections are provided withtwo pair of cooperating shear members 124,126 which are spaced apart adistance corresponding to the spacing between shear lines l00 and 102 inFIG. 5. Upper die section 122 is reciprocated by a suitable mechanism(not shown) in synchronism with the operation of pa]- let 34. As thegrid is directed .into the die by feed rolls 104,106, lugs 94 at theleading end thereof engage a stop plate 128 to properly locate the gridin the die relative to shear members 124,126. Stop 128 is carried on anarm 130 which is pivoted as at 132. Arm 130 is actuated to swingupwardly out of the way of the grid after the die closes so that whenthe die opens the trimmed grid will slide onto a support plate 134. Asshown in FIG. 5, the grid is also formed with a pair of laterallyextending lugs 136 which, when the 'grid slides onto plate 134, engagesrails 138. Thereafter plate 134, which is pivotally supported as at 140,pivots clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 to slide the grid along rails 13,8and stack the same in a vertically suspended position as indicated at142. v

The operation of the device is apparent from the preceding description.When the grid casting mold sections are separated the hot grid isejected therefrom and falls onto slide 12 with the lugs 94 foremost.When the grid reaches the lower end of slide 12 it is engaged by theupper run of belt 16 and advanced in the direction of arrow 30 inFIG. 1. Roller 26 bears down on the grid as' it is conveyed thereunderto flatten it in the event that it is slightly bowed. As the leading endof the grid travels past roller'20 the grid is deposited on pallet 34.However at this point the central longitudinal axis of the grid willprobably not be accurately aligned with the path of travel. Normally thegrid will be slightly cocked as it is deposited on pallet 34. However,immediately after the grid is deposited on pallet 34 from the dischargeend of conveyor belt 16 cam follower'60 (which is riding on the highside 68 of the cam) gradually drops to the intermediate portion 74 ofthe cam track to tilt pallet 34 downwardly so that the grid slidesdownwardly on the pallet to a position wherein both lugs 94 engage stopplate 84. The grid remains in this position engaging stop 84 momentarilybefore cam follower 60 encounters the low side 70 of the cam whichresults in a retraction of stop 84 to the position shown in FIG. 3. Thispermits the grid to beengaged by the feed rolls 104,106 which direct thegrid into the die at the proper speed as previously described.

I claim: 1. In a battery grid casting machine of the type adapted toproduce a pair of laterally spaced, relatively heavy lugs projectingforwardly from the leading end of .onto which the grids are adapted tobe discharged by the conveyor, said pallet being supported for pivotalmovement about a horizon-tally extending axis from a position in agenerally horizontal plane to a position inclined downwardly andforwardly in the direction of travel of the grid from the conveyor,means for pivoting said pallet between said two positions comprising apivoted support bracket underlying said pallet, spacer means projectingupwardly on said bracket and engageable with said pallet to support thesame in a position spaced above the bracket, means for pivoting saidsupport bracket downwardly from a position wherein said pallet issupported by said spacer means on the bracket in said horizontal planeso that the pallet pivots downwardly in response to downward pivotalmovement of said bracket, an abutment fixedly supported on said machinefor limiting downward pivotal movement of the pallet to said downwardlyinclined position, a stop member on said bracket which, when the palletis supported by the spacer means on the bracket, projects upwardlybeyond the plane of the pallet adjacent the leading end thereof, saidstop member being adapted to be abutted by the lugs on the grid when thepallet pivots downwardly so as to align the grid relative to the shearmembers of the hereinafter mentioned trim die, said means for pivotingsaid bracket being adapted to pivot the bracket downwardly beyond theposition assumed by the pallet when the latter is in engagement withsaid abutment to retract said stop member downwardly below the plane ofthe pallet whereby to permit the grid supported thereon to gravitatedownwardly on the pa]- let, and a trimming die disposed beyond theleading end of the pallet and into which the grid is adapted to bedischarged, said die having a grid supporting surface inclined generallyparallel to the plane of the inclined pallet and having shear membersextending transversely of the path of travel of the grid for trimmingoff the leading and trailing edges of the grid.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the means for pivotingsaid bracket are adapted to at least momentarily retain said stop in aposition projecting above the plane of the pallet when the palletengages said abutment.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said means for pivotingsaid bracket includes a cam having a cam track, a cam followerinterconnecting said bracket and cam track, said cam track having aportion for retaining said stop member in a position projecting upwardlyof the plane of the pallet for a predetermined time period after thepallet engages said abutment whereby to permit the grid to assume afixed position on said pallet before the abutment is retracted.

4. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the pivotal axis ofsaid bracket coincides with the pivotal axis of said pallet.

5. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said conveyor comprisesan endless belt, the top run of which comprises said grid supportsurface, a weighted roller gravitationally supported on the top run ofthe belt so that the grids conveyed by the conveyor are caused to travelbetween said roller and the top run of the belt.

6. The combination called for in claim 1 including a pair ofperipherally engaged feed rolls disposed between said pallet and die andpositioned to engage each grid as it is released from the inclinedpallet and feed the grids at a controlled rate of speed into thetrimming die.

7. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said means for pivotingsaid bracket comprises a shaft journalled for rotation about a fixedaxis adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor, said bracket beingfixed to said shaft to rotate therewith, a crank fixed to said shaft andmeans for swinging the crank in opposite directions to pivot the bracketupwardly and downwardly about the axis of the shaft.

8. The combination called for in claim 7 wherein the means for swingingthe crank comprises a rotary cam having a cam track, a cam followerengaging the cam track and a link interconnecting the cam follower withthe crank.

.9. The combination called for in claim 8 wherein said cam track has afirst portion concentric with the axis of rotation of the cam formaintaining the pallet in said horizontal position, a second portionconcentric with the axis of rotation of the cam for maintaining thebracket in said position wherein said stop is retracted to a positionbelow the plane of the pallet and a third portion for retaining the stopin a position projecting intermediate the first and second portions.

mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 CERTIFIQATE OF CURRECTIQN .IIatent No.3, 808, 63 Dated May 7, 1974 Inventor(s) Jack E. McLane It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, Line 43 Cancel "abutmentWand insert in place i thereof stopmember i I f Column 6, Line 33 After "stop" insert member Line 35 After"stop" insert member 1 Signed and sealed this 12th day of November 1974.

i (SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. In a battery grid casting machine of the type adapted to produce apair of laterally spaced, relatively heavy lugs projecting forwardlyfrom the leading end of the grid as cast, the combination of a powerdriven conveyor having a generally horizontally disposed grid supportonto which the cast grids are directed after being ejected from thecasting mold, said conveyor being adapted to advance the grids, leadingedge foremost, at a predetermined speed, a grid supporting palletdisposed adjacent the discharge end of said conveyor and onto which thegrids are adapted to be discharged by the conveyor, said pallet beingsupported for pivotal movement about a horizontally extending axis froma position in a generally horizontal plane to a position inclineddownwardly and forwardly in the direction of travel of the grid from theconveyor, means for pivoting said pallet between said two positionscomprising a pivoted support bracket underlying said pallet, spacermeans projecting upwardly on said bracket and engageable with saidpallet to support the same in a position spaced above the bracket, meansfor pivoting said support bracket downwardly from a position whereinsaid pallet is supported by said spacer means on the bracket in saidhorizontal plane so that the pallet pivots downwardly in response todownward pivotal movement of said bracket, an abutment fixedly supportedon said machine for limiting downward pivotal movement of the pallet tosaid downwardly inclined position, a stop member on said bracket which,when the pallet is supported by the spacer means on the bracket,projects upwardly beyond the plane of the pallet adjacent the leadingend thereof, said stop member being adapted to be abutted by the lugs onthe grid when the pallet pivots downwardly so as to align the gridrelative to the shear members of the hereinafter mentioned trim die,said means for pivoting said bracket being adapted to pivot the bracketdownwardly beyond the position assumed by the pallet when the latter isin engagement with said abutment to retract said stop member downwardlybelow the plane of the pallet whereby to permit the grid supportedthereon to gravitate downwardly on the pallet, and a trimming diedisposed bEyond the leading end of the pallet and into which the grid isadapted to be discharged, said die having a grid supporting surfaceinclined generally parallel to the plane of the inclined pallet andhaving shear members extending transversely of the path of travel of thegrid for trimming off the leading and trailing edges of the grid.
 2. Thecombination called for in claim 1 wherein the means for pivoting saidbracket are adapted to at least momentarily retain said stop in aposition projecting above the plane of the pallet when the palletengages said abutment.
 3. The combination called for in claim 1 whereinsaid means for pivoting said bracket includes a cam having a cam track,a cam follower interconnecting said bracket and cam track, said camtrack having a portion for retaining said stop member in a positionprojecting upwardly of the plane of the pallet for a predetermined timeperiod after the pallet engages said abutment whereby to permit the gridto assume a fixed position on said pallet before the abutment isretracted.
 4. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the pivotalaxis of said bracket coincides with the pivotal axis of said pallet. 5.The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said conveyor comprises anendless belt, the top run of which comprises said grid support surface,a weighted roller gravitationally supported on the top run of the beltso that the grids conveyed by the conveyor are caused to travel betweensaid roller and the top run of the belt.
 6. The combination called forin claim 1 including a pair of peripherally engaged feed rolls disposedbetween said pallet and die and positioned to engage each grid as it isreleased from the inclined pallet and feed the grids at a controlledrate of speed into the trimming die.
 7. The combination called for inclaim 1 wherein said means for pivoting said bracket comprises a shaftjournalled for rotation about a fixed axis adjacent the discharge end ofthe conveyor, said bracket being fixed to said shaft to rotatetherewith, a crank fixed to said shaft and means for swinging the crankin opposite directions to pivot the bracket upwardly and downwardlyabout the axis of the shaft.
 8. The combination called for in claim 7wherein the means for swinging the crank comprises a rotary cam having acam track, a cam follower engaging the cam track and a linkinterconnecting the cam follower with the crank.
 9. The combinationcalled for in claim 8 wherein said cam track has a first portionconcentric with the axis of rotation of the cam for maintaining thepallet in said horizontal position, a second portion concentric with theaxis of rotation of the cam for maintaining the bracket in said positionwherein said stop is retracted to a position below the plane of thepallet and a third portion for retaining the stop in a positionprojecting above the plane of the pallet for a predetermined time periodafter the pallet engages said abutment.
 10. The combination called forin claim 9 wherein said third portion is concentric with the axis ofrotation of the cam.
 11. The combination called for in claim 10 whereinsaid third portion of the cam track is located radially intermediate thefirst and second portions.